Investigations
Seat belt buckle bracket failure
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE19008 — closed, opened 2019-07-29 and involving the JEEP WRANGLER.
NHTSA investigation PE19008 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2019-07-29 and currently closed. The subject of record is JEEP WRANGLER, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for JEEP. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2019-12-12 — NHTSA updates that field whenever an Information Request goes out, a supplement is filed, or a status change is recorded in the public docket.
A Preliminary Evaluation like PE19008 is the entry point of the federal defect-investigation process. NHTSA engineers scan complaint databases, field reports, and manufacturer data to decide whether an Engineering Analysis is warranted, whether a voluntary recall is already sufficient, or whether the pattern does not rise to a defect finding.
Investigators summarized the matter as follows: "On July 17, 2019, NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE) 19-008 after receiving three Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) reports alleging the driver's side seat belt buckle separa..." Investigations are the early-warning layer of the federal auto-safety system, sitting upstream of formal recalls and defect orders. Whether this one closes without action or escalates into an Engineering Analysis, the full history stays in the ODI archive so researchers, litigators, and buyers can pull the paper trail at any time. Related JEEP files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
On July 17, 2019, NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE) 19-008 after receiving three Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) reports alleging the driver's side seat belt buckle separated from the seat frame, rendering the seat belt non-functional. The VOQs involved model year (MY) 2015 and 2016 Jeep Wrangler (JK platform) that were configured for right-hand drive (RHD) use. On August 8, 2019, ODI issued an information request (IR) letter to FCA. The scope of the IR included all JK Wrangler produced for sale in the U.S. (both left- and right-hand drive), and amongst other things, requested any reports or allegations of driver's seat belt bracket failures on these vehicles. In its review of FCA's response, ODI determined that approximately 1.7 million JK Wrangler were produced from MY 2007 to 2018, about 16,000 of which were configured for RHD. ODI notes that the RHD Wrangler are typically used for rural postal delivery which often experience a more severe duty cycle. Also RHD JK was was not produced in MY 2007. As explained in the IR response, FCA identified three distinct populations of JK Wrangler concerning the driver's seat belt bucket bracket; specifically the MY 2007-2018 LHD (~1.7M units), the MY 2008-2010 RHD (4,563 units), and the MY 2011-2018 RHD (11,463 units) populations. FCA provided details on the designs used in each of these populations, identifying specific differences deemed pertinent to the strength and durability of each unique bracket design. FCA further reviewed its analysis of the complaint and warranty data identified under the IR, and noting that it had not identified any allegations of bracket failures on the LHD population, and only one allegation on the MY 2008-2010 RHD vehicles. By comparison, FCA identified 24 allegations of bracket failure for the MY 2011-2018 RHD JK, including two reports duplicative of the VOQs. Neither the FCA nor the VOQ reports allege an injury or fatality due to bracket failure
About This Investigation Type
A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first phase of NHTSA's investigation process. It is opened when the agency identifies a potential safety defect pattern, usually triggered by consumer complaints, manufacturer reports, or field monitoring. During a PE, NHTSA gathers information to determine whether a formal engineering analysis is warranted.
Other JEEP Investigations
Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) Failure
Underhood fires
Loss of Motive Power
False overheat leading to loss of motive power
Electronic Parking Brake Water Ingress
Data from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Cross-references: NHTSA recall campaign API and NHTSA FARS where fatality records overlap. PlainCars does not rate or recommend vehicles. Learn more.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.